The present invention relates to a technique of a projection display apparatus that displays a projected image.
The projection display apparatus enables an image supplied from a personal computer to be displayed as an enlarged image on a projection screen and is therefore often used for presentations. In the course of a presentation, a plurality of presentation sheets (hereinafter may be referred to as xe2x80x9cslidesxe2x80x9d) are sequentially changed for display on the projection screen.
With a prior art projection display apparatus a user changes over the presentation sheets. More specifically, the presentation sheets are changed over according to the user""s instruction input through the key operation into the computer. Connection of the computer is thus essential for the prior art projection display apparatus.
The object of the present invention is thus to solve the disadvantage of the prior art discussed above and to provide a technique that enables a projection display apparatus, which may be free from connection with a computer, to display a projected image.
At least part of the above and the other related objects is attained by a projection display apparatus that carries out processing with information stored in a portable memory. The projection display apparatus includes: a memory controller that reads out the information stored in the portable memory; an image processing section that prepares display image data, which represents an image to be displayed, using at least one out of a plurality of image data stored in the portable memory according to an instruction of a processing program that is read from the portable memory and represents a series of processing to be executed by the projection display apparatus; an electro-optic device that forms image light in response to the display image data; and an optical system that projects the image light to display the image. This projection display apparatus displays an image using the image data stored in the memory according to the instruction of the processing program stored in the memory. This arrangement enables the projection display apparatus, which may not be connected with a computer, to automatically execute the series of processing and thereby to project and display the image.
In the projection display apparatus described above, it is preferable that the image processing section carries out control of the projection display apparatus according to an instruction of the processing program. This arrangement enables the image processing section to carry out a diversity of control operations of the projection display apparatus according to the processing program. For example, the image processing section controls a sleep state and a standby state of a hardware circuit.
In the projection display apparatus of the above arrangement, the control of the projection display apparatus may include control of an electric power supply circuit. This application controls the electric power supply circuit to control a sleep state and a standby state of the projection display apparatus.
In accordance with one preferable embodiment of the present invention, the projection display apparatus reproduces sound based on the information stored in the portable memory. This arrangement enables dialogues of people and sound effects to be reproduced, based on sound data stored in the portable memory.
In accordance with another preferable application of the projection display apparatus, the image processing section selects either one of image data supplied externally and image data read from the portable memory according to an instruction of selection included in the processing program, and prepares the display image data using the selected image data. This arrangement enables the image processing section to use not only the image data stored in the memory but image data supplied externally, for example, from an external image supply apparatus. The image processing section selects the desired image data to be displayed according to the instruction of the processing program.
In accordance with another preferable embodiment of the present invention, the projection display apparatus further has an embellishment image memory that stores at least one embellishment image data. The image processing section combines either one of the image data read from the portable memory and the image data supplied externally with the embellishment image data according to an instruction of composition included in the processing program, so as to prepare the display image data. This arrangement enables embellishment effects to be given to an image expressed by the image data read from the portable memory or the externally supplied image data.
In accordance with yet another preferable application of the projection display apparatus, the image processing section has a processing program editor that edits the processing program, and the memory controller has a function of writing the processing program edited by the processing program editor into the portable memory. These arrangement enables the processing program stored in the memory to be edited in the projection display apparatus. This is convenient when some modification of the processing program is required.
The present invention is also directed to a method of displaying an image with a projection display apparatus that includes an electro-optic device and carries out-processing with information stored in a portable memory. The method includes the steps of: reading out the information stored in the portable memory; preparing display image data, which represents an image to be displayed, using at least one out of a plurality of image data stored in the portable memory according to an instruction of a processing program that is read from the portable memory and represents a series of processing to be executed by the projection display apparatus; causing the electro-optic device to form image light in response to the display image data; and projecting the image light to display the image.
This method has the same functions and advantages as those of the projection display apparatus discussed above. Namely this method enables the projection display apparatus, which may not be connected with a computer, to automatically execute the series of processing and thereby to project and display the image.